Golden Ice
by grrawr
Summary: After the death of his father, Draco strives to be the person he always longed to be, as he looks to the future with hope, passion, and a new love. Complete!  My first fic- read & review please!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:**Harry Potter, the world and its characters all belong to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing. If I did, instead of being a poor student, I'd be rich and touring the world, and the books would have a heck of a lot more Drarry and NevillexLuna would be canon. My first real fic, so reviews would be very much appreciated.

.

I woke up seeing white. You might think me crazy, and try and send me to St. Mungo's, but it is what it is. It was like I'd been dumped in a Pensieve- haze blinding me with white hot intensity. After a while, the brightness subsided, and I was hit by a wave of pain. Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply and brought the heel of my palm up to my forehead. Exhaling, I slowly lifted my eyes, only to meet a shocking expanse of red. In an odd cryptic sort of way, it was quite attractive, my soft pallor contrasting with the deep scarlet. I followed the trail of blood from where it began on my arms to where it lay pooled on the sheets. _Bloody hell_. I thought to myself. I'd always been mentally sound, but I was fairly certain that not even last week could have changed that. I had been content with my life- it wasn't perfect, but then again whose was- when suddenly everything came crashing down. Call it what you will- fate, destiny- magic.

I had never really been loved as a child. Cared for? Yes. Taught well? Yes. Important as the sole heir of the Malfoy name? Yes. But loved, not so much. Perhaps that's why it didn't affect me the way it should have. Malfoys were trained not to show emotion. I had been instructed to ignore my feelings and to do as I was told from a very young age. I suppose Mother did love having a child, loved having someone to dote on and fawn over, but Father was different. He was determined to bring me up as a perfect little Death Eater, regardless of my own viewpoint. He was only proud of me when I was in control- oppressing others, insulting them, putting them in their "proper" places. I, like any other child, only wanted to make him proud. In my naivety, I never knew what harm I was causing.

One afternoon in Charms, Professor Snape burst through the doors of the classroom as we were taking notes. Professor Flitwick's head jerked up in surprise. "Is there…a problem, Severus?" he looked questioningly from his place in front of the classroom.

"I need to speak with Draco" Snape replied slowly. Now it was my turn to be surprised.

"Ah, Mister Malfoy," Flitwick motioned towards me, "go on now, I'm sure your classmates will take more than excellent notes for you" he added, looking pointedly at Crabbe and Goyle.

I stifled a small laugh before gathering my parchment and quills. "Now, Mister Malfoy." Snape directed, putting unnecessary emphasis on each syllable. I left my things behind, shrugging in reply to Crabbe and Goyle's confused stares. Not that they weren't confused normally.

I waited until we had walked a while to speak up. "Sir?" I asked, "Where are we going exactly?"

"To my office" He replied curtly. My mouth formed a silent _o_, and we made our way to the dungeons.

Snape opened the door to his office and ushered me inside. Seated in front of his desk was my mother, her long blonde hair streaming down the back of the chair, so pale that she appeared to glow in the wan light of the fire.

"Mother?" I tried to conceal my shock. Luckily a lifetime of etiquette lessons had paid off. "What are you doing here?"

"Draco" She murmured, standing up. "Draco my darling" She pulled me into an embrace and I could sense her shivering slightly from the dank of the dungeons and the strain in her voice from god-knows-what.

"What is it Mother? Is everything alright?"

She sniffled a bit and smiled, "You never were one for tact, were you dear- always wanting to know right away." She stepped back as if to survey me. "You've grown" she added quietly. I now towered a few inches over her. "Your father would be proud." It took a while for the words to sink in.

"Would?" I paused, hoping to steady my voice, "What do you mean Father _would_ be proud of me?" I hoped to Salazar that my voice didn't betray me. "Mother?" She slowly lifted her face to meet mine, and the gray emotion that filled her eyes confirmed my fears. My father was dead. I sank down into the chair numbly, shaking my head as if I had been swarmed by those Wrackspurts the one Ravenclaw girl had complained about. I was overwhelmed by a rush of feeling. The sorrow, the grief that I searched for could not be found. In its place, I felt relief, joy, and anger. I looked up at my mother and saw that behind a thin veil, her eyes remained hard and burning. I felt little comfort in knowing that I was not alone in my sentiments.

I left Snape's office, furious at my father for having robbed me of sixteen years of my life, then abandoning me when it was far too late to start over. I stormed past a clumsy git, not caring when he dropped his books and parchment.

"Hold it right there Malfoy" a familiar voice rang out. Of course it had been Harry, because it had _definitely_ been my day.

"Out of my way Potter" I demanded, "I'm not in the mood to fuck with you."

He blushed slightly, but soon the red tinge was replaced by a smirk. "Or what Malfoy? You'll tell your father?" he sneered. I'd never seen Saint Potter sneer before, but the look was rather becoming.

"Oh go read the Prophet, Potter" I spat out angrily, "My father's dead."

His face slackened suddenly, and his shoulders caved in. "Oh," he paused, "Mal-Draco, I'm so-"

"I don't need your pity." I pushed past him and continued walking. When I reached the end of the corridor, I saw him still standing there, biting his lip nervously and toying with the edges of his robes. _Gryffindors._ I scoffed.


	2. Chapter 2

I suspected that I had been excused from the rest of my classes that day, as I spent the rest of the day in my common room without any repercussions. It's not like it really mattered anyways. The only classes I had left that day were Potions with Potter and his sodding Gryffindors, and a History of Magic with Professor Binns who nearly bored everyone to death. As Blaise and Pansy and the other Slytherins began filing in the common room, I slipped upstairs.

Being a Malfoy had its perks, with large amounts of money and many important connections being two of them. The room had originally been designed for Salazar Slytherin himself, for when the four founders had actually lived at the school. They were supposed to be reserved for the heads of each respective house, but Snape being my godfather, along with his dislike of close proximity to students, meant that the room was mine and mine alone.

I sat down at my desk, reaching into the top left drawer to trigger a switch that would pop open a secret chamber. With a click, a panel popped out. Inside laid three things that I treasured dearly: a dragon pendant necklace that was charmed to protect its wearer from hexes, curses, and jinxes, a small album with pictures from my childhood, and the glasses of one Harry Potter. I was never sure why I kept the glasses- the other two were obvious, both gifts from my mother and extremely valuable- but the glasses…I had won them from a fight in our second year. I don't remember how it started, but it ended with him on the floor, his glasses lying askew inches from his hand. I triumphantly smashed them under my foot before picking them up and swinging them in front of his face. I taunted him- snatching them out of his reach and pocketing them before walking away. Later, in the safety of my room, I had repaired them and stared at them for ages. _It was my trophy_, I told myself, _it deserved to be looked at. Trophies were meant to be cherished._ I wondered if he'd done the same with the tie he'd taken from me in fifth year, after a particularly rough game of Quidditch led to a sore ego and even sorer arms and stomach.

My thoughts drifted away from the events of today and began to dwell on Potter. It always seemed like he was the one thing in my way. If he wasn't so bloody famous, I would be the most sought after person at Hogwarts, and he would just be some passing Hufflepuff. His friend Granger always got the highest marks, which often got me into trouble with my father. And if he wasn't so arrogant, then maybe I could actually stand him. He always smiled. Smiled! Not smirked or sneered like any normal person would, but **smiled**. And he was already bloody annoying without flashing his pearly whites or glancing at you with those piercing green eyes of his. It was enough to make me want to punch something. I do believe I did once. Only the closest thing to me was a wall, and instead of revenge I ended up with a long scolding from Madame Pompfrey. _Stupid Potter with his stupid face and his stupid smile and his stupid eyes behind those stupid glasses._ I turned the glasses over in my hand. Tap tap tap. I looked over to see an owl waiting patiently at my window. She was gorgeous, a snowy white color with a sweet but piercing gaze. "Hello," I crooned, "and who are you?" She seemed kind enough, and although she looked familiar, I had no idea whose owl she was. I picked up the note she had dropped on the window sill. The parchment held a large blot, as if someone had tried to cross something out, but had failed miserably. I could see that they had started to write Malfoy, but then changed their mind and put Draco. Suddenly I remembered where I'd seen the owl before. _Potter._ I unfurled the note carefully and read through his handwriting. _Merlin. It was as messy as his hair._

"Draco- I hope it's alright to call you that-

Listen, I'm sorry about your father. I know what it's like. I looked for you in Potions, but then I figured you were probably excused. Hope you're doing alright.

– Harry."

I laughed to myself a little bit. Harry-er-Potter, was every bit as awkward in letters as he was in real life. I wrote back (in flawless penmanship no doubt) despite every voice in my head telling me now to. Potter, it read, No you may not call me Draco. Refer to me as Your Excellency, or I shall be forced to ignore your presence completely. Don't make me do so. –DM. ps. Thank you. I sent the note off along with a treat or two for Potter's owl, and then turned to one of my personal Potions books for some light reading before bed. I had been delving into the use of beetle eyes when used in junction with lacewing flies and fluxweed when the tapping noise returned. I smiled in spite of myself at Potter's eager reply. Another note in subpar script had been delivered. Dear Draco, it began. I could almost hear him emphasizing my name, purposely not using the title I had asked. It wasn't that I had actually **wanted** Potter to call me Your Excellency, more so than it was an excuse to ignore him. I sent his owl back without a note, smirking to myself as I snuggled under the covers.


	3. Chapter 3

It seemed like there had always been someone else there to think for me- first my mother, then my tutors, then my father. I must admit I was a little uncertain about what to do in the face of his death, but sometimes the best thing to do is act like nothing happened. Well at least, that's what I'd been told by my private tutors. After all, there wasn't much different in my life. _Today,_ I thought to myself, looking in the mirror, _today Draco Malfoy becomes his own person_. I peered in closely and inspected my own image. I can't say that I was pleased, exactly. My porcelain skin was marred by a grayish tinge and the shadows that had collected under my eyes, most likely a result of the stress and pain my father had imposed on me during the Christmas break, along with countless howlers and letters. I shook the memories away, promising to invest in a Pensieve later, and made my way down to the Great Hall.

All that could be seen above the tables was a clear blue sky. I wasn't a Hufflepuff, but I believed it to be a good omen all the same. The back of my neck began to prickle as I walked to the Slytherin table. I whipped my head around to see who'd been staring at me. I couldn't blame them, but I wanted to know who was interested- perhaps I could arrange to meet them after Quidditch practice. Grey eyes met green, and Potter's head snapped down as a red blush crept over his cheeks.

"What's wrong Dray?" Pansy asked as I sat down.

"I told you not to call me that" I muttered.

"I'm sorry love, I keep forgetting." She smiled, placing her arm on mine. I shook it off, then spent the rest of the meal discussing new Quidditch plays with Blaise and Vaisey while she sulked and sighed dramatically every few minutes.

"Oi, shut it, will you?" Vaisey shouted at Pansy.

She looked from him to me, and finding sympathy in neither crinkled her nose and got up to leave. "I don't know what your problem is Draco," she hissed as she walked by, "But I don't think your father would be very pleased to hear how you've been treating me."

I laughed, "Go on then, just try to tell him."

Her eyes popped open in surprise. "W-w-what?" she stammered.

"Let's just say that I'm now free to end things with you." I whispered in her ear, "I wish I could say it's been fun, but even I'm not that good a liar." Pansy spun around and ran from the table, causing Millicent to glance over at me then get up and follow her out the door. I felt a slight pang of regret. She was an alright girl I guess, but ever since Father had hinted at a possible alliance with the Parkinson family, she'd turned from a kind, trustworthy friend, to an over possessive, clingy, sappy git. Father instructed me to keep her around, just in case, but with his death, I no longer felt any need to keep up appearances. _Wow._ I thought to myself, _two life-changing decisions that __**I**__ actually made, and breakfast is barely finished._

I glanced back over at the Gryffindors, more specifically at Potter, who once again seemed to be staring at me. Blushing furiously, he fixated his attention on the empty plate in front of him. The Weasel appeared to be arguing with Granger over something, which wasn't exactly news. The Weaselette kept sneaking furtive glances at Harry, and from what I could deduce by the look on her face, he was oblivious to her. Smirking to myself, I got up from the table, knowing that Potter's eyes would follow me. I crossed the hall and stopped in front of the Gryffindor table. "Enjoying the view Potter?" I scoffed, "Although I can't blame you for having good taste" His eyes flicked over at his friends who were so engrossed in their argument that they hadn't even noticed me. He refocused on his plate, although I could see the faint blush creeping over his face. "Perhaps if you wanted to see something else, I might be inclined to provide assistance with that matter." I smirked as his head jerked up and he gulped nervously. Turning to go, I winked at Potter, causing the redness to spread even further. _Was it possible that Potter, the Golden Boy, Dumbledore's favorite, had a crush on me?_ I wondered. It couldn't possibly be, but I was determined to exploit this slight possibility to the best of my ability.

Zabini caught up with me in the corridor. "What was that with Potter?" he roared, "I thought he was gonna burst into flames from embarrassment."

I sneered proudly, "Too bad you'll never know."

"Oh come on, Malfoy," he pleaded, "Don't be such a prat." I smirked, ignoring him as I walked out to the Quidditch field.


	4. Chapter 4

I knew that I'd have to face him eventually; I just didn't think it'd be so soon. "Mal- Draco!" I heard while walking to Transfiguration.

"What're you doing, mate?" I heard another voice ring out, "Are you absolutely loony? That's Malfoy you're talking about- the prat who we don't look at, we don't walk by, and we most certainly do not talk to, unless we can help it. We've spent every moment until this hating him and-"

"I do hope you realize that I can hear your every word." I called out, still walking. I glanced back, expecting to see the Weasel the same shade as his hair. He looked surprisingly defiant, and was clutching Harry's wrist as if to hold him back. "Oh ho ho," I laughed, "I see we've changed Weasleys now, have we Potter?" The familiar blush returned to his face and he pulled away from Ron. Satisfied, I turned and left. I was five minutes late and was reprimanded by Professor McGonagall, but the look on Potter's face had been worth it.

It was almost as if he'd been bloody obsessed with me. He turned up wherever I went; I couldn't seem to get away. If I was at the library, so was he, sitting slightly out of view behind a book. If I took a shortcut to get to Defense Against the Dark Arts, he just happened to be taking the same shortcut. I would often hear him and his lot rambling on as they tried to walk inconspicuously behind me.

"Blimey, you're actually **trying** to talk to him?"

"Personally, I think it's a wonderful idea, trying to patch things with Draco, it could lead to some real intra-House unity."

"But its **Malfoy**." The redhead emphasized.

"Oh there he is Harry!" Granger whispered excitedly.

"Er- Draco!" he called out at the girl's prodding, "Wait up a minute!" A few students turned their heads towards the exchange, waiting for something to happen.

I raised my eyebrow critically; I knew it made me look both intimidating and alluring. Not that I cared what Potter thought. "Yes?" I asked, hating how much I sounded like my father.

Harry stopped running and stood next to me. I had never noticed how tall he was, as his robes had always swallowed him up, making him appear scrawnier than he actually was. "Uh…well…see I hadn't really thought that you'd stop."

"No surprise there."

His eyebrows jerked up in a mixture of confusion and astonishment. I found it surprisingly endearing, then shook the notion away. "That I didn't expect you to stop?" He began, "Cause really I-"

"No, that you didn't really think." I quipped, smirking. He stared at me, emotion growing in those green eyes. Regret hit me like a bludger, and I silently cursed my father for my upbringing. I softened my eyes a bit, and let a smile play at the corner of my lips. Potter blinked twice then brightened noticeably. My good deed for the day done, I nodded stiffly and turned to leave.

"Al-Alright, it-it was nice talking to you!" he called out behind me.

"See you around Potter" I replied without turning around, lazily waving my hand in farewell.

I returned to my room before lunch, only to find an owl knocking insistently at the window. I had never seen this owl before; I figured Mother had gotten a new owl while on one of her infamous shopping sprees. He was a tiny and grey, and could almost fit in the palm of my hand. I strutted over and let him inside, "What have you for me today?" As if in reply, he held out his leg with which a small parchment was bound. "Smart bird" I crooned quietly, handing him some treats. He gobbled them up greedily. "Careful now love, don't go eating your own body weight in treats. Mother'll have my head." He looked up at me and chirped cheerfully, then got up and flew figure eights around my room as I turned my attention back to the note. It was not from my mother as I had originally expected; the ruby wax clearly marked Gryffindor- another letter from Potter, and this too was improperly addressed. I didn't bother to read past the second line and once again sent the owl back without a reply.

In Potions, I was accosted by a confused Potter. "Did you get my owls? Why didn't you write me back?" he asked, almost child-like.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

His eyes darkened in rage. "Just what exactly are you playing at Malfoy?" he accused, "One moment you're all sunshine and rainbows, the next minute you're treating me like dungbombs?"

"If you're quite through yelling, and if it's alright with you, Mister Potter, I'd like to begin my class." Snape's voice cut through the noise like a knife.

"Yes, yessir." Potter bowed his head.

"I generally don't read letters unless they're properly addressed." I whispered, emphasizing the last two words, "Too much fan mail. It'd take ages otherwise." I winked as a very surprised and confused Potter stepped back to let me through.

Following Potions was my free time that I had devoted to reading in the library. It was much cheerier than the dank of the dungeons, and maintained a much calmer atmosphere. I had been reading about the usage of ancient runes to help brew certain potions, when an insistent tapping brought me out of my concentration. If it was possible for birds to glare, Potter's owl was most definitely doing so. I wondered how long she'd been trying to get my attention. "How did you find me here?" I asked her. It was strange. Both Potter and his bird always managed to find me, or "happened" to be in the same general area, no matter how obscure or remote the location. I took the note from Hedwig, and was about to toss it directly in the trash when the header caught my eye. Your Excellency, it read. Now that was more like it.


	5. Chapter 5

I opened my eyes to the afternoon sun. "Shit!" I cried, casting a quick Tempus. Nearly noon. It was the second Quidditch match of the season (the first for Slytherin) and I was going to be late. Urquhart would have my head. I cast a quick cleaning charm then changed into my robes and made my way down to the Quidditch field. The Slytherins began to cheer as I hurried on to the pitch and I could see the displeased Urquhart soaring above the ocean of green and silver.

"You're late, Malfoy." Urquhart hissed in my ear as we zoomed above the pitches.

"Salazar, Urquhart," I replied, under the roar of the crowd as a quiet voice announced the players, "You're beginning to sound like my mother."

He looked slightly offended then dropped his gaze. "Just don't let it happen again." He warned as we dismounted to face the other team. Madam Hooch walked up to us, flanked by Potter who was carrying the Quaffle and Bludgers.

"Captains! Shake hands." Madam Hooch commanded. Urquhart stepped forward to shake the hand of Roger Davies, a handsome seventh year who seemed more than ready for the match. "Mount your brooms. On the whistle…three…two…one…" With the sharp toot and a nod from Madam Hooch, Potter released the balls from the crate, and the players kicked off from the still-frozen spring ground. I swerved to avoid a close brush with a bludger, leaving it to the care of Crabbe and Goyle, and focused on finding the Snitch.

"The Slytherin chaser's managed to score two goals," a dreamy voice echoed throughout the stadium, "Now Davies from Ravenclaw has the Quaffle. I heard he asked out Cho, but she turned him down. I wonder if that created any resentment within the team…" I looked down to see Luna Lovegood wearing a large hat that resembled a raven chewing a serpent. She really was loony.

"Luna, **the game**." McGonagall reminded her a bit tersely.

"Oh yes," her voice solemned, "Davies passes the Quaffle to Chambers, who passes it back to him. It appears he's holding it rather gingerly. I wonder if he was attacked by a Crumple- Horned Snorkack. They can be quite temperamental sometimes." Even from where I flew, I could see McGonagall's lips pursed in a thin line. "Miles Bletchley can't appear to concentrate either; he just let the Quaffle in. Ravenclaw leads 140-60." She said the score quite proudly, and although I'd rather not admit it, I felt a sense of well-being towards her. That is, until I remembered that I was still a Slytherin, and still wanted to win. I frowned. I had to find that Snitch.

I flew higher, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Snitch. Instead, I saw Potter, flying next to Madam Hooch, observing both her and the game. I looked over to see Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker, heading towards the far side of the field. I raced towards her, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Snitch when- WHAM. I toppled off my broom, ignoring the pain I felt as I tried to grasp something to keep me from falling. I heard a scream, probably Pansy, and as I closed my eyes, I felt an arm around my waist. "Don't worry, I've got you" a warm voice murmured before it all went black.

I opened my eyes and shut them again quickly before the bright sun hit them. I could hear someone walking around the hospital wing. Groaning quietly, I rubbed my temples as the day's events slowly trickled back to me. Someone mentioned my name and I sat up quickly in bed. Long curtains obscured my view, so I lay back down and strained to hear.

"But Draco, he'll be alright won't he?" asked a voice edged in worry. It sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite place the voice. It was too masculine to be Pansy or Millicent, but much more clear than either Blaise or Nott.

"I hadn't realized that you were on a first name basis with Mister Malfoy now. I'm glad to see you've gotten over your past differences." Oh. Potter. "But I'm sure your friend will appreciate your concern. He's got a few broken bones and a cracked rib, but he should be fine in a day or so." She added, her cheerful voice echoing throughout the nearly empty wing.

The footsteps grew nearer and I flung my eyes closed, hoping to avoid any medicines or questions from Madam Pomfrey. The bed dipped slightly as someone sat next to me, and a tentative hand swept a tendril of hair away from my face and ticked it behind my ear. "Oh Draco," a soft voice whispered. I almost choked in surprise. Potter? _He'll be leaving shortly_, I told myself,_ just stay asleep. _ I opened one eye slightly to see Potter looking down at me, his teeth teasing his bottom lip, his eyebrows furrowed in worry. "Please be okay" he pleaded softly. _Could it be that Potter actually cared?_ If so, he sure had a funny way of showing it. I tried to choke back a sob, but a cough slipped out, capturing his attention. Gentle touches ghosted my skin as I bit back a slight moan. I tried to control myself, clenching my fists underneath the blankets.

We sat in silence until Potter sighed. "I never knew Ravenclaws played dirty," he began, more for his own benefit, "I always thought it was only Slytherins…" he trailed off, silent in thought. "You were about fifty feet up," he continued after a moment, "I saw Bradley ram into you and…I don't know what I would have done if…" he grew quiet. "I guess it's a good thing you can't hear me." He paused, "I mean it's not like you'd give an exploding snap as to what I think. You hate me." He added bitterly, closing his eyes.

"I don't hate you."

His eyes popped open and the dazzling green stared at me accusingly. "You- you're- you're awake? Did you-? You heard everything I-"

"No not everything." I hastily interrupted, "Just the part about how you think I-"

"I don't know what you're trying to do, but whatever it is, it's not funny." Harry bellowed as he half ran out of the hospital wing.

"Wait!" I cried, struggling to sit up. The slam of the door echoed through the hospital wing. I crumpled the sheets in my hands and began to cry.


	6. Chapter 6

I was released from the hospital the next afternoon. I almost couldn't bring myself to leave; a part of me hoped that Harry would come back. The halls echoed as I walked slowly, not wanting to run into someone I knew. A rustle of cloak in an otherwise deserted corridor caught my eye. Turning, I caught a glimpse of Harry stashing a small golden bottle into the folds of his robe.

"Harry" I nodded, holding out my hand. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve, and then looked somewhat angrily at me. To my relief he grasped my hand and shook it firmly. A small sigh escaped me as I smiled to myself.

"You're an odd fellow, you know that Draco?" he said, letting go. I looked up at him, confused, "You see, I was curious about you," he whispered, "So I did some research, asked around a bit. And it appears that despite the number of girls around here that are absolutely infatuated with you, you refuse to even glance at any of them. At least a dozen girls Draco, and not just Slytherins- Ravenclaws, Griffindors- the whole lot, but you ignore them completely. So much so, that you've earned yourself a reputation- the Ice King they call you."

I felt my face grow hot at this information. "Why I- never have- what- utter rubbish." I sputtered. Potter smirked and stepped a little closer.

"And now they're saying that the Ice King has a new love interest." He crooned, emphasizing the last two words, "Can it be true, Draco?"

If my face hadn't been red before, it most definitely was now. "I-I don't know what you're talking about," I stammered. I could feel sweat forming on my brow, and Malfoy's didn't sweat.

His smile grew wider, "Oh but I think you do," he said. I glanced up at him and lost myself in an ocean of green. "Who's the lucky girl?" he asked softly.

"It doesn't matter who it is." I said, breaking away from his trance. "They hate me anyways." Harry's eyes widened as I turned to go. I half wanted him to call out my name, for him to drag it out of me, for him to finally know- but we were just starting to be (sort of) friends. There was nothing I wanted more than to protect that.

I returned to my dorm and slept, but was awoken by a small brown owl that cheerfully began chirping at my window and dropped a note into my hand. Unfolding the parchment, I gasped a little and felt my heart start to rise. No one could ever hate you. A hopeful smile formed on my lips as I sank down onto my bed. Then, getting up and walking over to my desk, I pulled out a quill and parchment.


	7. Chapter 7

For the first time in a while, I was looking forward to class with the Gryffindors. "Draco…Draco? DRACO!" Pansy's shrill voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Merlin, woman, can't I even enjoy my breakfast in peace?" I asked her angrily. I had been nursing a fragment of a dream involving Harry and I wandering through the castle after hours. Sighing, I tried to remember where I'd left off.

"But Draco," she pouted, "didn't you hear me? I asked if you wanted to study with me later. We can go to your dorm cause it's quieter and no one's there to disturb-"

I cut her off with the signature Malfoy stare. "Pansy, how many times have I told you, I'm not interested."

"But Draco," she pleaded, "I'm sure you don't really mean it. You were just upset about your dad that day and now that things have settled, we can-"

"Pansy there is no we. The only thing that we will ever be is friends, but at the rate that this is going, we may not even be that." She frowned, and her wrinkled brow reminded me of a certain brunette. I glanced over at the Gryffindor table and caught a glimpse of him laughing with his friends.

"What?" Pansy asked, seeing a slow smile spread across my face. I quickly blushed and looked away. Her eyes widened in surprise as she followed my gaze. "No." She shook her head. "No." I continued to look down. "You've got to be kidding me!" she hissed, "Eight years. That was before we had even come to Hogwarts. I stayed with you for eight fucking years, only to have you dump me as soon as you get the chance, and for Saint Potter no less?"

"Pansy," I murmured, touching her arm.

"Yes?" She turned to me expectantly, eyes wide and hopeful. Oh, she was most definitely mine. I had two choices: I could either twist her to do my bidding, or tell her the truth.

Glancing back over at the Gryffindors, I saw Harry shooting daggers at Pansy as she gazed up at me. I smiled lightly at his frown until he looked up and blushed upon discovery. I raised my eyebrow expectantly and smirked; Harry's face reddened even more.

The Weasel leaned over the table. "You alright mate?"

"Oh yeah, yeah, I'm fine." He replied, sneaking another glance at me over his goblet. Carefully I ran my tongue over my lips in a smooth and utterly seductive manner. I looked back down at my breakfast and smirked as I heard Potter choke on his pumpkin juice.

"Blimey mate, you sure you're okay?" Weasley asked.

"I'm good, I'm good" he sputtered.

"You really do like him don't you." Pansy remarked a little sadly, "I can see it in your eyes Dray. I haven't seen you look this happy in a while." I looked back at her adoring gaze. Against my better judgment, I decided to tell her the truth. Perhaps Potter had been rubbing off on me. I shuddered at the thought.

"Listen Pansy," I began.

"I knew it!" She shrieked. I clapped my hand over her mouth then looked around to see if anyone had noticed. Luckily, the din of the Great Hall was too loud, and none of the students around us seemed to have heard. Cautiously, I removed my hand. "Oh Dray, I can't be mad at you!" she babbled, "I thought you'd be leaving me for some other girl, but this… well…this. I'd always suspected, you know, I mean, Merlin, who else is that picky about their wardrobe, or has so many beauty products-"

"Will you shut it already?" I hissed, "and keep it down alright? You mustn't tell anyone else about this."

"Not even him?" Pansy asked mischievously, jerking her head in the direction of Potter. No wonder we'd gotten along so well- the woman was pure evil.

"Especially him. I think…I think that I _might_ have a chance." I confessed.

Pansy beamed, then sobered after a moment. "Wait. How do you know he's not just playing you?"

The thought hadn't occurred to me. Being a Malfoy, no one had ever dared lied to my father or I, or they would face dire consequences. I'd assumed that Harry really meant every word, but what if I'd been wrong? "Don't worry, I've a plan." I said with false confidence. Luckily she didn't see through my façade and left it at that. Luckily, Potions was my last class, and by the times it rolled around, I had created a perfect plan.


	8. Chapter 8

"You shall be working in partners today" announced Professor Snape as he lazily waved his wand. I looked over at Blaise and nodded. Other Slytherins and Gryffindors were doing the same all over the classroom. "But," he added, "Slytherins with Gryffindors. Anyone found violating this rule, and I shall be forced to take House points." He swept past us, heading to the store room to retrieve the rest of the materials.

Blaise leaned over and looked at me, "Is this some sort of joke?"

"I'm not sure. He seemed quite serious." We shrugged and glanced over at the Gryffindor side of the room. I looked at Harry and found him already matching my stare. I cocked my head slightly, to which he nodded. Smiling a little, he moved over to one of the open benches in the center of the room.

"Well?" Snape walked back in with his arms laden in supplies, "Find your partners and get started. You have two hours."Trying to ignore how much I was shaking, I got up and walked over to Harry.

"Dray, what're you doing?" Goyle whispered.

"Are you mad?" Blaise hissed, "That's Potter you're walking to!"

"Oi, Potter!" I called out, hoping that I was doing a good job of masking my anxiety. "Need a partner?"

He nodded to the stool next to him. I sat down and pretended to read over my notes as I admired Potter's hands. They looked dexterous and strong from Quidditch, and my fingers itched to reach out and stroke them. Feeling slightly flushed, I looked up to meet his eyes. "Let's-uh-start now then?" he asked, looking somewhat red himself.

"Anytime you're ready," I replied soothingly, letting my thigh accidentally-on purpose brush his. He bit his lip and reddened- success.

It didn't take me long to learn that Potter was rubbish at Potions. "Honestly, how do you expect to be a halfway decent Auror if you can't even brew a proper Strengthening Solution?" Harry's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"How'd you know I wanted to be an Auror?"

Shit. I wasn't even completely sure how I knew. "Just assumed I guess," I answered lightly, "are you planning on- Merlin's beard what're you doing?" The roots I had given to Harry were being smashed into odd uneven lumps. He looked up sheepishly. "They have to be uniform or else the potion won't work as well," I said, pulling his wrist into my hand and guiding his knife. We sat in silence for a while as I helped him slice the roots. "Alright?" Harry's face had turned absolutely red; we locked eyes and he flushed an even deeper scarlet, but smiled to himself as he looked away. While stirring the potion, I took a moment to let my fingers linger on Harry's leg. I heard his breathing hitch and a low moan under the sound of the boiling cauldron.

"Deliver your potions to the front," called Snape.

I looked over at the other groups' Strengthening Solutions. Our was an aqua color, not the turquoise of Pansy and Hermione's but was more blue than green like Blaise and Ron's, and most definitely better than the black sludge of Goyle and Neville. "Nice work Draco," Harry turned to me and smiled. He was stunning when he did so. All those years together, and I'd hardly seen him smile, or perhaps he'd just never smiled at me.

"Same to you Harry," I returned the grin, secretly brushing my fingers across his abdomen as I did so. His body, hidden from view by the table twitched as he closed his eyes and shook his head.

"What-what're you going to do?" he asked quietly.

I tilted my head, thoroughly confused. "Do about what?"

"About this!" Harry cried exasperatedly. "I've felt the same way about you since second year."

My heart stopped for a moment. "W-what?" I masked my smile. I may have been falling for him, but I was first and foremost a Malfoy.

"So what're you going to do?" he asked, enunciating each word with a soft rap on the table.

"I guess you'll have to wait to find out." I said, laying my hand on top of his.

"Class is dismissed," announced Snape. I smirked before gathering my things and left, ignoring Harry as he called out my name behind me.


	9. Chapter 9

I thought he'd have given up after a few tries, but Gryffindors were damn persistent. He caught up to me in an empty corridor on the third floor.

"What the hell was that in Potions?" he grunted, pushing me gently.

I backed up until there was only a wall behind me. "I believe that was called class work," I quipped.

"Just what are you playing at Draco?" Harry cried, his green eyes flashing. "I don't think you understand the way I feel about you. You make me wa-" I cut him off as I abandoned my better judgment, and leaned forward to kiss him. Harry's eyes fluttered closed as our lips met, and soon his tongue slid into my mouth, coaxing out a low moan. Harry pulled back, panting slightly, as I turned my attention to his neck, noting the sensitive spots for later reference. I watched as Harry licked his lips, then curled my fingers into his hair and leaned back in to kiss him. He wrapped one arm around my waist, pulling me in closer, and growled possessively into my mouth. The intensity of the kiss grew, and neither of us realized how close we had become until Harry ground his pelvis into mine. I gasped and Harry took the lack of contact as an opportunity to ghost his way down my jaw line, nibbling my earlobe and leaving a trail of kisses on my neck. Harry jolted as I groaned then smirked before breaking away. "Come here." He whispered, stepping back. I tentatively stepped forward, and he grabbed my wrist, and then began to run, pulling me into an empty classroom. He looked around cautiously to make sure that no one was there, and then turned on me, crashing his lips into mine. "Off, off" he insisted between kisses, tugging at the fabric of my robe. I shrugged it off as he did the same, not breaking the connection between us.

Harry was the one to draw back, his satiny lips flushed red and his neck dappled from where I'd left my mark. I swung around and pushed him towards the front of the room, fingering the hem of his shirt and ghosting my hands over his body. Surprised, he backed into a desk, then hopped up onto it and leaned in closer. Gently, I loosened his tie as my fingers nimbly flew over the buttons, undoing them. He moaned into the kiss and bucked violently into me, smashing his length against me. Bloody hell. I hadn't realized how tight my pants had become. I slid the tie off from around his neck then stepped back as he pulled the shirt off and flung it to the corner of the room. My erection roared to life as I took Harry in. Merlin, he was gorgeous. Years of Quidditch playing had left him toned and muscled, and I could hardly keep my hands off of him. My eyes traced his body- his firm abs, his supple skin- as a few lingering glances slid straight to my desire. He tore my shirt off, watching the buttons soar through the air and land somewhere across the room. Harry leaned down from the desk and greedily recaptured my lips in his own, sucking and nibbling them with a fierce passion. "Wanted you…so bad…forever…"He moaned as our bodies made contact and rubbed together with delicious friction. My hands roamed his body, exploring the new territory of smooth and scarred skin. His moans brought new vigor to my body as the inspiration flew southward. I unraveled one hand from his hair and slipped it slowly down his chest, drawing random patterns and lines as I went. I circled his nipple gently, tweaking it as Harry arched into me and I smirked at the response.

Each movement and sound went straight to my groin, making my straining erection harder and harder to bear. I broke away from Harry and moved downward a little, plastering my lips about his nipple. I'd never done a thing like that before. My tongue swept over the hard nub- licking, sucking, nibbling- as Harry moaned and shuddered above me. A hand moved to the back of my neck and swept me up into another kiss. I stopped my hand's gentle movements and brought them up to entangle them in Harry's luscious raven hair. As our lengths grinded together and we moaned into the kiss, I knew I needed more. I moved my hand down to Harry's waistband, but felt him stiffen underneath me. "Is everything…? Did I…?" I panted, breaking away.

"No, it's- it's fine," Harry murmured, not meeting my gaze.

"Are you sure? Because I don't want to-"

He slid off the desk, "I- I just remembered that I have to be somewhere." He muttered, still avoiding my eyes. He bent down and struggled to put on his shirt.

"Here let me-"

"No!" Harry cried, "Um. I mean no, it's okay, I've got it." He bit his lip nervously, as I turned to watch him go, leaving me alone in the empty room.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay. I've been going through some stuff and didn't have time to update. It's better now though, so hopefully it'll be more regular now. A review would be a lovely (inspiring) gift, so I know that someone is actually reading this x

.

Merlin. Hardly a moment with Harry and I'd managed to fuck it up. I picked my shirt off the floor, trying to ignore the shivers that ran down my spine as I remembered what had brought it there. I remorsefully realized that that the majority of the buttons were missing. "Accio buttons." I whispered, letting them spring from the ground into the palm of my hand. Slipping the tie around my neck and grabbing my robes, I took one last look at the classroom and walked out._Perhaps he really did have something to do._ I thought hopefully. No. He'd been far too abrupt about it. _Maybe… maybe he really is playing me. Perhaps Pansy was right._I frowned at the thought. Although she was clingy and possessive, if it hadn't been for her mean streak, she probably would have been in Ravenclaw. When it came to most things, Pansy was hardly wrong. _But there was room for error, wasn't there?_ I asked myself. I sure hoped so.

I wandered the halls for a while, trying to look like I had somewhere to go. I climbed the stairs to the astronomy tower, my secret refuge, but opening the door, I saw the shadow of a person lingering near the edge, staring up at the stars. As they moved to drink from the bottle beside them, I gasped. It was Potter. _The stars dim at the sight of his eyes,_ I thought. The night sky illuminated his features as he turned, and I silently cursed the power that his silhouette held over me. My senses took a hold of me, as I realized that I shouldn't be here. I turned and ran, not looking back.

Sighing, I made my way down to the dungeons, its dank atmosphere matching my mood. The common room was nearly empty, save for a few younger years and Pansy. I flung myself onto the couch and buried my face in my hands.

"You disappeared after class," she said airily, "and I saw Potter trailing you," she added with a glint in her eye, "What happened? Tell me, was it wonderful?" She leaned forward and threw aside her copy of the Prophet.

I groaned and massaged my temples. "I don't want to talk about it."

"You looked all rumpled Dray," she persisted, "I know something happened." She paused, her voice softening, "You can tell me anything, you know."

"I screwed up big time," I said, my voice thick.

"I'm sure you're just exaggerating." She said, leaning over and rubbing my back.

"No Pansy, trust me, I'm not." I murmured, not lifting my face from my hands. "He said he felt for me since we were second years. Second years Pansy! And then he asked what I was going to do now that I knew. And I- I ignored him. I wanted to see if he was serious, or if he had just been playing some cruel trick. But he followed me, and he pushed me against a wall- he was mad Pansy, furious- and then well, I kissed him. I kissed him and it was great. He returned my kisses with as much enthusiasm and passion, perhaps even more. Then, the next thing I know I'm being dragged into an empty room, so I kissed him, and pushed him onto the desk, and he's telling me to take off my robes and such-"

"Salazar Draco!" Pansy cried, causing a few of the second years to look our way. I looked at her pointedly, "Sorry Dray, it's just that…" She trailed off, blushing, but I had the odd notion that she was getting off on the idea.

"Then he takes off his robe and I help him with his shirt as he helps me with mine, and then I reach for his waist and he just stops." I paused a moment, trying to keep my voice from breaking, "And-and he makes up a lame excuse and runs out. He wanted it Pansy, I could tell, and I wanted it more than anything." My mask had fallen away, leaving the raw emotion unguarded. I felt my eyes prickle as they threatened to spill over.

Pansy grabbed the hand closest to her and patted it comfortingly. "It's not your fault, Dray, everything's going to be okay." she promised, "Did you ever stop to think that perhaps he wants to have more than just a random shag? She asked, tipping her head to the side, "After all, he's the Golden Boy, Saint Potter. He has a future to think about." The thought hadn't occurred to me before. "But what about you, Draco, what do you want?" I wasn't quite sure.

Being both an only child and a Malfoy had led me to be inclined to getting my heart's desire. In short, I was spoiled, but with the death of my father, I resolved to change that. It began with money- I put the majority in a vault at Gringotts, and promised to stop spending as much- and extended to Harry, who I vowed to not push into anything. I would respect his wishes, no matter how much they hurt.

I sat quietly by myself in Charms the next day, waiting for the inevitable anger from Harry, or even worse, silence. A shadow loomed over my desk, and as I looked up, I saw him pull out the chair and sit down next to me. I was pleasantly surprised, while the Weasel looked as though he'd swallowed a dungbomb, and the Granger girl grimaced politely and scolded him for gawking. "Hey," I said softly. He didn't even bother to respond. My heart sunk. Perhaps it really had been just a game for him. I rubbed the back of my neck self-consciously and laid my head on the inner crook of my elbow, forcing myself to look away from Harry.

Halfway through the lesson, a curious blowing sensation caused me to sit up. A scrap of parchment had been folded into a stag and charmed to race back at forth. I picked it up, looking curiously at Harry, who seemed abnormally engrossed in the lesson. The parchment unfolded at the touch; I recognized the handwriting instantly. _Hey._ A glimmer of hope struck my body as I peered over at my seatmate. _Are you free after class?_ I wrote back hopefully, and then folded it into a dragon. It lifted off and landed on his arm, curling up and puffing out trails of smoke. Harry cupped it gently and lifted it off his shirt. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched him frown as he picked up his quill, scribbled something, and charmed it into a stag, sending it back towards me. I tried to appear calm as I tentatively read what he'd written. _Sorry, I'm meeting up with Ginny._ Oh. _She was his best friend's sister though. So that's like__**his**__sister, yes?_ I asked myself. I sure hoped so.

After class, I saw the Weaselette waiting in the corridor. "Harry!" she cried, running past me and a few other students. He grinned and kissed her on the cheek. She giggled as he whispered something in her ear and then grabbing her hand began to run, pulling her behind him. A ways down, I heard a classroom door slam and choked back a sob, trying to forget how a mere twenty-four hours ago, it had been me. I had half a mind to march in there, to find Harry and demand an answer, but I couldn't.

My footsteps echoed throughout the empty corridor; I was on the fourth floor and hadn't any recollection of how I'd gotten there. I walked forward to where I knew an alcove was hidden from view by a long tapestry. Pushing the fabric aside, I looked around for people watching, then slipped in. A small window near the roof allowed light to trickle in as I sat on the stone ledge with my legs drawn into my chest, letting the tears silently fall. _It was his choice._ I reminded myself, _it was his choice._ I shivered at the memories- the delicious friction of our bodies together, his mouth warm and inviting, his low sexy growl- sobs wracked my body as I buried my head in my robes and cried.


	11. Chapter 11

"Hey could I ask you a question?" A familiar voice rang out. Harry. My head jerked up in surprise, afraid that I had been seen. It had been a week since Harry ran out on me, and since then, I'd spent most of my time alone, particularly in the alcove. I got up from my hiding place and peered around the tapestry. The sight of the familiar raven hair confirmed my first guess.

"If you're asking why we're going to the library, Harry, it's because we need to study for our exams, and since Ron refuses to go anywhere near the place, I'm bringing you along," Hermione stated matter-of-factly as the continued to walk.

"No, it's not that," Harry said, pulling her very near the hidden alcove, causing me to gasp and inch back towards the ledge. "I-it's about Draco," Harry confessed. I nearly fell out of my perch and scrambled to regain my balance, which was thankfully masked by Hermione's squeal of excitement.

"Oh, I was right, wasn't I, Harry! You **do** like him!"

"Shh!" he whispered vehemently.

"What're you going to do? Did you tell him? Are you going to?"There was an uncomfortable pause, and I shifted forward, afraid I would miss something.

"Well…you see, we sort of…erm…got involved in an empty classroom last week, and well, I wanted to be sure he was serious, that he didn't just want something physical, so I- I left before anything really happened, and I had Ginny pretend we were still involved and we disappeared together, right in front of him, to see how he'd react, y'know? Cause if he wasn't serious, he wouldn't have cared; I-I wanted to be sure he wasn't just trying to screw with my heart. But it's been a week, and he- he hasn't said anything, and, and," Harry's voice broke, "I just want him so much," he whispered.

"It's alright, Harry," Hermione said, "Draco's just-"

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I cried, bursting out from behind the tapestry. It had taken me a while to absorb all the information, but one I processed it, rational thought gave way to uncontrolled anger.

Harry looked up in surprise, "Draco? You were spying on-"

"Shut up and listen!" I cried angrily, "You have the nerve to be upset that I didn't do anything when I saw you with Ginny‽ Did you even stop and think about how I felt? How it felt to be abandoned and replaced like a street girl? I have feelings, too, Potter! I was crushed, I wanted to go curse her head off, but I told myself that she was what you wanted, and that you of all people deserved to be happy. I guess I was wrong." My knees trembling, I turned on my heel and began to walk away, praying to Salazar that my legs wouldn't give out.

"Draco, wait!" Harry cried.

"I'm not a dog, Harry," I said, my tone ice cold as I tried to keep the tears from slipping into my voice, "You can't push me away, then expect me to come running at your first call."

"Draco!" I heard footsteps echo in the corridor behind me, "Just listen to me for one minute, alright? I know it was stupid, and I'm sorry, but-"

"There is nothing you can say to me, Harry Potter." I interrupted as I whirled around to meet his stormy green eyes. I turned to go, but he firmly gripped my wrist. Frowning, I tugged my hand out of his grasp, to which he dragged me forward and captured my lips in his. I fought him as our tongues battled for dominance, teeth crashing into each other through ragged gasps and breathless moans.

He pulled back and stared at me, his jade eyes darkening in lust. Pushing me against the wall, he shoved my robes aside and bit down on my collar bone, causing me to cry out. "See that, Draco," he hissed, "That means you're mine."

For some reason, I didn't mind as much as I should have.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:**I'm so so so sorry this has taken so long! I was hit with a major case of writer's block, but hopefully it's gone for now! And, I went against my personal promise of never writing a smut scene in the Room of Requirement, cause it's such a cliché, but for now, I'll go with it. Thank you all for being patient!

.

An owl soared into my dormitory, circled over my head, and dropped a note on my desk, then disappeared through the window. "Show off," I murmured to the white owl as she flew away. Opening the letter, I saw Harry's ridiculous writing and smiled. He hadn't said a thing all day, and I was beginning to think that he'd forgotten our one year anniversary.

_Dray- dinner tonight? 7 p.m. Room of Requirement. Be there. –Harry._

I tucked the note into my pocket and looked at the clock- 6:00. Leave it to Harry to plan something so last minute. I spent the remainder of my time getting ready.

I reached the seventh floor slightly before seven, and paced in front until the door appeared. Tentatively reaching forward, I grabbed the handle and walked inside. It was marvelous; the room had set up a small picnic-like spread in front of a roaring fire. I made a mental note of the couch that faced the fireplace. Hopefully I would make good use of it later.

"Draco!" Harry emerged from some place or another, brandishing a tray of butterbeer, "Took you long enough," He muttered good-naturedly.

"You _did_ only give me an hour's notice," I pouted, "and I wanted to look especially good for you." He frowned and rose on his toes to kiss the frown away. It was a pure Gryffindor move, but I must admit, it _was_ rather adorable. He grabbed my hand and pulled me down in front of the fire, and sat cross legged across from me.

Halfway through dessert, he got up and scooted next to me. "What're you doing?" I asked, "Let me eat my treacle tart in peace." He laid his head on my shoulder and stared up at me with a grin playing on his cheeks. I was so transfixed by his green eyes that I ended up missing my mouth. "Oh drat. Not my new shirt." I frowned, wondering how I'd get the stain out.

"I'll get it for you," Harry offered. I nodded gratefully; household spells were not my thing. He leaned down and licked the icing off my shirt.

"Oi, what're you doing?" I cried, "That's silk!"

He smirked. At first I wondered when my mannerisms had started rubbing off on him, but all thoughts flew from my head as he slipped over to my fingers and began to suck them slowly and deliberately. I felt a jolt to my groin as Harry made his way to my neck.

Before I knew it, Harry was kissing me firmly, hungrily. I twined my arms around his neck and arched my back against the floor as he clambered on top of me, begging for more access. He pulled back first and I frowned. Harry cupped my face in his hands, his green eyes reflected in my grey ones. "Come here," he whispered, getting up and moving to the couch. I slowly stood up, not trusting my legs to be able to carry me, not believing that he was mine.

With trembling fingers, I tore open the buttons on his shirt and pushed his robes off his shoulders. He pulled me close and I shuddered as I roamed my fingers over his skin. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked.

"Yes," I breathed. I couldn't have said no even if I wanted to.

Harry's eyes flashed devilishly as he reached for the table and found a bottle of lube there. He thoroughly coated himself as I felt my entire body weaken in anticipation. He dipped his fingers into the lube then motioned to me. I winced as he slipped a finger in, "It's okay, love," he murmured, kissing my shoulder blade. Gently he eased another finger in and scissored them, stretching me out. He curled his fingers, sending shivers of delight up and down my spine. "Ahh, you like that, Draco?" he smirked.

"Y-yes," I panted. At any other time I would have been almost ashamed at how needy I sounded. Right then I didn't care.

Harry chuckled and withdrew his fingers. I moaned at the loss of contact, but not for long. He entered me slowly, deeply, then pulled out, groaning in pleasure. With each thrust, Harry slammed into my prostate and ripples of pleasure shot through my body. I stared at him, worshipping his body and every move that he made. "I-I'm-" my body began to convulse as a white light shot in front of my eyes. White sticky gobs shot over both Harry and myself. My muscles clenched as I felt Harry's release inside of me, moaning my name as he came.

"Oh Draco," my name had never sounded better.

"Yes?" I smiled coyly, kissing him.

He slid out of me then rearranged the sheets nervously. I felt his raven hair begin to tickle my collarbone as he laid his head on my chest. He looked up at me adoringly, his green eyes shining, "I- I lo-"

"Don't." I said simply, cutting him off. "Don't say it if you don't mean it."

"But Dray, I do-"

I cut him off with a kiss. "Night." I whispered, curling into his embrace.

"But Dray-"

"Night." I repeated firmly, slipping my hand across his chest.

"Night Draco," I heard him whisper after a few minutes. "I-I love you." I smiled in spite of myself.

.

**A/N:**If you'd like me to write faster, reviews help inspire me (hint hint)


	13. Chapter 13

**AN/ Okay, I'm really, really sorry for the delay. I had the next part ****all ready in my head**** and everything, but life got in the way so I didn't have time to write.****Alsothanks a million to**lostsouloftheunderworld **for the amazing reviews. It really means a lot to me!****Anyways, here's the next chapter of Golden Ice! Enjoy!**

.

The following week, Harry re-introduced me to his friends. We had decided to meet in the corridor so that we'd be meeting Granger and the Weasel together.

"You can do this," he whispered, weaving his fingers into mine. "Don't worry."

"I'm not worried," I scoffed, "Don't be daft."

"That's a load of tripe, and you know it." he said. It worried me how easily he could read me, and I him, but then again, after years of studying each other's every move, it came naturally.

He slipped his hand into mine, and we took off for the library.

We approached the pair together. "Hi Harry," Hermione greeted cheerfully. "Malfoy." She added tersely, nodding slightly in my direction.

"Oi, what're you doing here, Malfoy?" Weasley asked, a combination of a scowl and bewilderment etched across his face. "Not afraid to taint your precious bloodlines by simple being seen with us?"

My hands, hidden by the folds of my robes, curled into fists. _How dare he? That little Weasel!_ My inner voice raged, _I ought to- no, wait. Harry. I can't. He'd hate me._ I frowned at the thought of losing him, then glanced over at the Gryffindor. His face had gone deathly pale as he awaited my evident explosion. _I'll be nice._ I decided. _Or at least, I'll try. Not for them, but for Harry._

I was a Malfoy, and if there was one thing Malfoy's knew, it was diplomacy, and playing nice. I cleared my throat, "While I know there's been some bad blood between us, Weasl- R-Ron, but I'd like to take this opportunity to start over. What do you say?" I smiled graciously, extending my hand.

Ron sneered, brushing my hand away, "Like hell I will, Malfoy. I don't know what kind of game you're playing, or why you're trying to play me, but-"

"It's not a game!" I roared, ignoring the angry stares of Madam Pince, the librarian. _How dare he? How__**dare**__he accuse me of not caring, and for Harry nonetheless. Who had been there to help him, to comfort him, to tutor him, to…love him. Did I?_In that moment, I realized that, yes, I did. "It's not about you Weasley! It's about Harry, and I- I love him!"

If it had been quiet in the library before, it was deathly still now.

"Harry, can we talk to you?" Gra- Hermione asked timidly. Harry, who'd gone an adorable shade of pink at my admission, nodded, and followed his friends away from the table.

"Alone." W-Ron added, seeing me edge towards them. Defeated, I slumped back on the table, threading my fingers through my normally perfect hair. "Alright mate, what in the bloody blazes is going on?" I heard W-Ron ask. "You start disappearing for hours on end, not telling us, your best mates, where you're going. And now you show up with Draco Malfoy, of all people, telling us you're a couple? Do you not remember all the things he's done? The names he's called her?" I bit my tongue as he slung his arm around Gr-Hermione, who smiled. Ten galleons they're shagging by the end of the year. "Now I don't know what sort of spell he's got you under. Imperius is it? I'm sure he's an expert on that."

Harry frowned. "It's not like that!" he cried. I felt my heart swell at the sight of Harry defending me. "I like him, I really do. He's not that prat we hated; he's different now. Haven't you noticed he hasn't said a mean thing to any of us for the past few months? I heard he even tutored Parvati in potions, and helped a lost first year find their common room. He's changed."

I felt an unusual surge of jealousy as Hermione placed a gentle hand on Harry's arm. "As much as I want to believe you, I can't." She shook her head slowly, "How do you know it's not some lie? Just a ploy to draw you over, then he delivers you to You-Know-Who."

I'd heard enough. Storming over, I grabbed Harry's wrist, spinning him around, and capturing his lips is a long kiss. "Does that look like a ploy to you?" I asked once we'd separated, gesturing to the ridiculous smile on his face. The pair stared, their mouths hanging open. "We'll be going then," I smirked, slipping my hand into Harry's.

"Wow." Harry breathed once we were in the corridor.

"Do you think they believed us?" I asked.

"Well I sure did," he laughed.

"Good," I whispered huskily, brushing the shell of his ear, before pulling back quickly.

"Damn tease." He muttered, looking utterly murderous.

I laughed cheekily, pulling him along, "C'mon let's go wheedle those house elves into getting us some food. I'm starved."

.

**AN: soooo what did you think? If you review, I will find you, hug you, and give you Red Vines. And who doesn't love Red Vines?**

Disclaimer: I actually will not give you Red Vines. Or find you. That's called stalking and I'm not allowed to do that anymore.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: **Hey guys, so this here is the final chapter of Golden Ice. This is/was my first fic that I've ever written, and I'm quite happy with how it turned out. Though I'm incredibly sad that it's over, I'd like to thank you all so much for sticking with me- those who favorited, who put Golden Ice on their Story Alert, who reviewed, who did all three, and those who've simply read my baby. I adore you all, and thank you so much.

For once in my life, I was utterly happy. Things with Pansy had smoothed over, I was doing amazingly well in my classes, Mother, from what I gleaned from letters, was getting better, and actually **approved **of my new lifestyle, and I had whatever I had with Harry. My father's memory was not entirely forgotten, but I'm sure he would've been rolling in his grave had he known I was shagging Enemy Number One. It was a thought that I relished with great delight. I suppose then, that what happened was a result of the universe deciding that I just wasn't meant to be happy.

At breakfast one morning, I was surprised to see a Ministry owl waiting on me. I took the envelope from its beak, then eased open the seal with uneasy hands. A smaller envelope waited inside. The moment I saw the blackness of the parchment, I knew. "No."I whispered, "No, no, no, no."

Pansy turned to me, "Draco? Is everything-" Her gaze landed on the letter and I heard her inhale sharply, "Oh Dray, I- I'm so sorry." She had received one last year, after her uncle had been discovered hanging in his cell in Azkaban. I felt cold and numb as I edged it open further, revealing the name of the recently deceased.

_Narcissa Malfoy._

I felt my knees go weak and was suddenly grateful that I had been seated. How? Why? When? I had just received a letter from her the previous morning. She sounded so happy, so carefree. Had she known? Was she only trying to sound cheerful as to not upset me? What kind of son was I if I had missed those vital warning signs? I took a deep breath. _You can do this._ I slid the parchment out further to read the details, the "condolences of the Ministry". Hah. As if they cared about the wife of a Death Eater. Pansy's voice brought me out of my musings.

"Dray, why did you get one though?" she asked carefully, "I thought they were only for families of people who'd been under the Ministry's care."

I looked up at her. "I-I don't know. She is-" my voice cracked, "-she was at the Manor."

She reached over and gently pulled the letter towards her. "Dray," she said hollowly, "Dray it says she was killed by Aurors."

"What?" I bellowed, snatching it from her hands. "Why? My mother was a good woman! The only thing she ever did wrong was not leaving my bastard of a father." I got up and left, ignoring the cries of Pansy and the curious stares of other students.

I wandered made my way to the Room of Requirement as the news slowly sunk in. My mother was dead, just like my father. I was the sole heir and the final proprietor of the Malfoy name. I frowned. What good was being a Malfoy when you were the only one left? Our legacy had faded, just as our name would. Draco, the last Malfoy. The Coward. The Weak. I could hear my father's voice in each piercing thought. _Why didn't you work harder Draco? Why did you__ have to fail? You abandoned your own family. And for what? Love._ I could hear his cruel laughter ringing in my ears, the smirk that I tried so hard to emulate painted on his face_. Not only did you fail me, but you failed your mother. She's dead __**because of**__** you**__._

Sometimes my head could be a dreadful place.

And that's where I was, laying on the floor, disoriented and covered in blood. I lifted my head up, groaning as dizziness overcame me. A body that I hadn't noticed sitting next to me shot up. "Merlin, Dray you're alive!"

"And why wouldn't I be?" I scoffed in the haughtiest manner I could, feeling incredibly upset at how feeble my voice sounded.

"…do you…do you really not remember anything?" he asked softly.

My brow furrowed as I struggled to remember something, anything. Nothing. I shook my head, avoiding eye contact as I did so; I wasn't so sure I wanted to hear.

"I-It doesn't matter," Harry said, his voice wobbling slightly, "You're here now, and- and that's all that matters." He opened his mouth, then closed it, his teeth worrying the bottom lip. "Don't ever scare me like that again," he whispered into my hair, "I thought- I thought-" his voice cracked and I felt his arms tighten around me. I felt the unanswered question that hung in the air. Why?

"My-my-" I began, not wanting to say it. To put it to words would mean that it was really real. "My mother is dead." I closed my eyes as a new wave of pain crashed over me. I turned away, furiously pushing on his chest for him to leave, to get away from me, but his arms pulled me closer.

"I'm afraid you're stuck with me, Draco," he murmured, "I'll be there for you. No matter what. Always."

**-fin-**


End file.
